Taylor returns to New Zealand side after eye surgery

CHRISTCHURCH – New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor has returned to side after recovering from eye surgery in late November and will rejoin the test team for their two-match series against Bangladesh.

Taylor had surgery to remove a pterygium, or growth, on his left eye that had affected his vision after the second test victory against Pakistan in Hamilton.

“It’s great to have Ross back,” New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said in a statement on Thursday. “He has a phenomenal record that speaks for itself and he’s coming off a terrific hundred in his last test.

“He has obviously been an essential part of our test side for a long time and brings invaluable experience and knowledge to the group.”

Taylor scored an unbeaten century against Pakistan in Hamilton before undergoing the surgery and missing one-day series against Australia and Bangladesh.

He returned to cricket last week in New Zealand’s Twenty20 competition where he scored 82 not out and 80, but a minor side strain prevented him from replacing the injured Neil Broom for the remaining two games against Bangladesh.

Broom broke the index finger of his left hand while fielding in the first Twenty20 against Bangladesh in Napier on Tuesday and has been ruled out for up to 10 days, with George Worker replacing him for the final two matches in Mt. Maunganui.

The 33-year-old Broom had himself been brought into the Twenty20 side due to a hamstring injury to Martin Guptill.

Recalled for the series more than six years after he last played an ODI, Broom scored 109 not out and 97 as the hosts completed a 3-0 series sweep and had been a chance to play the tests if Taylor was not fit.

The first test against Bangladesh starts in Wellington on Jan. 12, with the second game in Christchurch from Jan. 20-24.